🌐 irc – Internet Relay Chat

A custom IRC (Internet Relay Chat) server developed in C++98, offering real-time, text-based communication via channels and private messages. This project is perfect for exploring network protocols, non-blocking I/O, and the basics of multi-client server design in C++.

Example

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📖 Table of Contents

1. About the Project 🚀
2. Features ✨
3. Prerequisites 📋
4. Installation & Setup 💻
5. Usage 🎮
6. Learning Outcomes 📚
7. License ⚖️

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🚀 About the Project

This project recreates the core functionality of an IRC server. Users can authenticate, choose a nickname and username, join channels, and exchange messages. The server handles multiple simultaneous connections and relays messages in real time, demonstrating how non-blocking network operations work in C++.

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✨ Features

• Multi-Client Support: Accepts multiple concurrent connections without blocking.
• Channel System: Users can join channels, exchange public messages, and manage topics.
• Private Messaging: Supports PRIVMSG for direct communication between two users.
• Operator Commands: Enable channel operators to KICK, INVITE, and set channel MODE (e.g., invite-only, topic-restricted, user limits).
• Custom Authentication: Requires a valid password to connect, ensuring only authorized clients access the server.
• Non-Blocking I/O: Manages sockets using poll() (or equivalent) for efficient event handling.

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📋 Prerequisites

• C++98 Compatible Compiler
• Make (to build the project)
• No External Libraries (everything done with standard libraries and system calls)

Make sure you have these in place before compiling the project.

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💻 Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/cgermain78/irc.git
   cd ft_irc

2. Usage: Once the server is compiled, you can run it with:

   make

3. (Optional) Adjust Configurations: If you have a config file or want to tweak the default port/password, you can edit a config file or pass arguments at runtime.

🎮 Usage

Once the server is compiled, you can run it with:

./ircserv <port> <password>

Example Execution:

./ircserv 7776 pass

📚 Learning Outcomes

By developing this project, I was able to:

• Understand Network Protocols: Gain familiarity with the socket API, event polling, and TCP communication.
• Implement Non-Blocking I/O: Use poll() (or an equivalent) to manage multiple connections simultaneously.
• Handle IRC Mechanics: Explore IRC-specific commands (JOIN, PRIVMSG, MODE, etc.) and server-client messaging flows.
• Enhance C++ Proficiency: Write structured, maintainable code while respecting C++ standards.